Study Offers Recommendations for Making Mile-Long Corridor Safer and More Hospitable for Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Drivers

JANUARY 16, 2019 — A central element of the 1791 L’Enfant Plan, which laid out Washington, D.C.’s unique urban grid, North Capitol Street defines the city’s northeast and northwest quadrants and serves as a preeminent viewshed to the U.S. Capitol. But over the past few decades it has fallen into disrepair and, especially along the stretch between New York Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, been the site of a disproportionate number of accidents and crimes.

To begin addressing these challenges, last summer the NoMa Business Improvement District (NoMa BID), in partnership with District Department of Transportation (DDOT), worked with local residents and other community stakeholders to produce a study of the corridor from R Street down to Massachusetts Avenue. Now available to the public, the North Capitol Street Needs Assessment provides a list of recommended improvements that would make the mile-long corridor a safer and more hospitable place for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

“North Capitol Street should be a point of pride for the nation’s capital, a grand avenue for all users,” said Robin-Eve Jasper, President of the NoMa BID. “There have been previous studies that touched on different aspects of this section of North Capitol Street, and this project builds on those recommendations. Significantly, however, this study is the first to consider this important corridor holistically and provide a comprehensive ‘road map’ for improvements.”

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Here are the categories in the Recommendations section of this needs assessment: